The invention relates to a sample frame for the preparation of a plurality of sample vessels, in particular sample tubes, having a plurality of retainers, in each of which a sample vessel is situated.
Sample frames for the preparation of sample vessels have become known in manifold ways, for example, through the “72 Position NMR Tube Rack”, Item Number TR 500 of Norell Inc., Landisville, N.J., USA.
Instrumental analysis, in particular also nuclear magnetic resonance (=NMR) spectroscopy, is used for determining the chemical composition of samples. The high degree of automation possible and the rapid availability of measurement results are particularly valued in this case. Instrumental analysis having a high degree of automation is used, for example, in so-called series assays, in which a plurality of similar samples, in particular biological samples, are to be assayed in the same way.
The goal is the automation of the sample preparation (for example, the filling of sample vessels with sample substance) and the charging of the measurement apparatus (for example, the transfer of a sample vessel to the measurement position in the measurement apparatus and back), and the automatic analysis of the measurement results.
Using sample frames which have retainers for a plurality of measurement samples is known in sample preparation and in the charging of the measurement apparatus. The individual sample vessels in the defined positions of the retainers may be handled with the aid of robots. An example of a sample robot for charging is the “SampleJet” from Bruker BioSpin. The gripper of a robot is typically applied to a cap of the sample vessel to reduce the breaking hazard.
The handling of the sample vessels is made easier if the sample vessels have already been provided with caps before sample preparation. In this case, the filling of the sample vessels must be performed through a drilled hole of the caps. Caps having such a drilled hole are known, for example, from DE 20 2007 001 251 U1. If the sample substance contains volatile solvents, the sample vessel is to be tightly closed after filling, to avoid vaporization of solvent and thus a change of the sample.
However, closing sample vessels which have caps having a drilled hole is a difficult operation, and difficult to integrate in automated sample preparation in particular.
The object of the present invention is to make it easier to close sample vessels which have a cap with drilled hole in the scope of an automated sample preparation.